Cleaning

Tashman

Hi all, after last weeks brief exertions, my beloved Defy 1 is a little on the grotty side.
I gave it a rinse with a low powered hose and wiped over with a microfibre cloth, but all the hard to reach places are still grimy.

My question is, how should I go about keeping it in good nick? Please forgive my newbie ignorance

fenix

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvzVRxlIUL0

5 min wash here.

drlodge

Add some soap to the water, washing up liquid is fine.

step83

Car shampoo, washing up liquid leaves micro scratches or something apparently.

hopkinb

Spray with muc-off bio degreaser. Use a soft brush and some mild detergent in warm water to dislodge the dirt. Rinse with low powered garden hose. Degrease chain with one of those little machines. Rinse with water. Spray chain with WD40/GT85. Dry frame etc with a microfibre cloth. Relube chain when dry. Every so often, take all the bits off the bike, clean them, clean the frame, put back together with grease where necessary, spray with GT85 & polish if you are that way inclined.
At least that's the theory.

Tashman

Thank you all. Nice n simple then

drlodge

Step83 wrote:

Car shampoo, washing up liquid leaves micro scratches or something apparently.

Its old wives tails, washing liquid is fine. If you think how much its diluted and what it gets used on (dishes, glasses, etc) is unlikely to be an issue. Especially if you rinse the bike afterwards, everything gets washed off.

Alex99

Tashman wrote:

Thank you all. Nice n simple then

It can be simpler than it sounds. The main thing, is that if you want all the silver bits to be silver and not gunky, then you need a good de-greaser. Water and washing up liquid doesn't clean dirty oil gunk off a chain.

I've used a chain cleaner device for years, but recently got some morgan blue de-greaser that seems to do a better job just painting it on with a paint brush. Takes less time and uses less de-greaser, which is good cause it ain't cheap. Then, just wash the whole bike with a sponge (and brushes for fiddly bits) with soapy water. Let it dry, lube the chain. Done.

darkhairedlord

jetwash. then soak any stubborn areas with petrol and burn it off.

ForumNewbie

I just lube my chain, derailleurs, cables etc. after most rides, and wipe down the frame if necessary, drying the bike if a wet ride. Generally my bikes don't get that mucky, so my 10 year old and 5 year old bikes still look good and function well with that basic maintenance.

Tashman

darkhairedlord wrote:

jetwash. then soak any stubborn areas with petrol and burn it off.

Perfect, that scorched look is in right now I understand!

darkhairedlord

Tashman wrote:

darkhairedlord wrote:

jetwash. then soak any stubborn areas with petrol and burn it off.

Perfect, that scorched look is in right now I understand!

Burnt out saxo chic, very fashionable.

mrb123

My cleaning method/routine has evolved and improved somewhat over time. There are plenty of helpful YouTube videos on the subject that provide useful tips, plus a few bits of kit make the job easier.

For a full clean, my method is as follows:
1) Get big bucket of hot, soapy water ready along with all my kit
2) bike into workstand (wipe down the seatpost -or wherever you clamp the bike in the stand - before clamping it). Wheels off.
3) drivetrain clean. Easiest way is to paint on some degreaser using old paintbrush to chain and other drivetrain parts. You can cut an old water bottle in half and put it in your seat tube bottle cage to hold the degreaser. Then clean with old rags/washing up sponges and some soapy water. One of the little devices that hold your chain so you can run the drivetrain with the back wheel off is really useful here (I've got the Park Tool one). I do sometimes use a proper chain cleaner device if the chain is really filthy.
4) clean wheels. An old washing up brush and some Muc-off spray gets the cassette nice and shiny. Rims get a good scrub with an old kitchen scouring pad.
5) clean rest of bike with soapy water and clean sponges or brushes. Always give the brake blocks a good wipe to remove any contamination or embedded bits and pieces.
6) hose everything off with a gentle spray (not jetwash!)
7) allow to dry for a while and then wipe down and relubricate. A bit of rag can be used like dental floss between cassette teeth to dry and remove and remaining dirt. I put the wheels back on AFTER relubing the chain to prevent risk of lube getting on the rear wheel rim.

Obviously a full clean like this doesn't have to be done all that often. Between full cleans it's just a case of wiping down visible dirt with a cloth and running the chain through a rag.

drlodge

What you need to use on your chain/cassette/chainrings etc will depend on what lube you use and how dirty it is. Some lubes are particularly sticky and will need a fairly aggressive degreaser while others will clean up using a mild citrus degreaser.

Midlands Grimpeur

Do what everyone else says and do it regularly. I clean my bike after every two rides regardless of how dirty it is (straight after a ride if its been raining or I have ridden through a load of crud).

This will preserve drive train components in particular and you should get more life out of them than manufacturers claim you will.

svetty

MrB123 wrote:

My cleaning method/routine has evolved and improved somewhat over time. There are plenty of helpful YouTube videos on the subject that provide useful tips, plus a few bits of kit make the job easier.

For a full clean, my method is as follows:
1) Get big bucket of hot, soapy water ready along with all my kit
2) bike into workstand (wipe down the seatpost -or wherever you clamp the bike in the stand - before clamping it). Wheels off.
3) drivetrain clean. Easiest way is to paint on some degreaser using old paintbrush to chain and other drivetrain parts. You can cut an old water bottle in half and put it in your seat tube bottle cage to hold the degreaser. Then clean with old rags/washing up sponges and some soapy water. One of the little devices that hold your chain so you can run the drivetrain with the back wheel off is really useful here (I've got the Park Tool one). I do sometimes use a proper chain cleaner device if the chain is really filthy.
4) clean wheels. An old washing up brush and some Muc-off spray gets the cassette nice and shiny. Rims get a good scrub with an old kitchen scouring pad.
5) clean rest of bike with soapy water and clean sponges or brushes. Always give the brake blocks a good wipe to remove any contamination or embedded bits and pieces.
6) hose everything off with a gentle spray (not jetwash!)
7) allow to dry for a while and then wipe down and relubricate. A bit of rag can be used like dental floss between cassette teeth to dry and remove and remaining dirt. I put the wheels back on AFTER relubing the chain to prevent risk of lube getting on the rear wheel rim.

Obviously a full clean like this doesn't have to be done all that often. Between full cleans it's just a case of wiping down visible dirt with a cloth and running the chain through a rag.

This is pretty much what I do: first clean chain/jockey wheels and chainrings with rag/mild solvent ( I use a Park chain machine occasionally), then car shampoo for frame/bars/wheels/brakes. Re-lube chain:sorted

step83

drlodge wrote:

Step83 wrote:

Car shampoo, washing up liquid leaves micro scratches or something apparently.

Its old wives tails, washing liquid is fine. If you think how much its diluted and what it gets used on (dishes, glasses, etc) is unlikely to be an issue. Especially if you rinse the bike afterwards, everything gets washed off.

Probably, car shampoos closer anyway bikes in workshop, so is the bucket an car shampoo. Plus the wife doesn't moan half as much. Pro tip, never say old to her face either!

I'll admit I'm anal about cleaning the bike but it's white so any muck shows up.